Unitary lamp socket supporting structure



March 24, 1953 G. J. THOMAS 2,632,787

UNITARY LAMP SOCKET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 26, 1948 INVENTOR- 660/36 J7 Tia/274$.

Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITARY LAMP SOCKET SUPPORTING STRUCTURE George J. Thomas, Birmingham, Mich, asslgnor to Watts Electric 8; Mfg. 00., Birmingham, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,187

Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be releasably mounted on a suitably apertured supporting plate or bracket.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved lamp socket supporting fixture which is simple in construction, economical of manufacture and reliable and efficient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to receive and support an associated lamp socket member and having improved means for securing the fixture to a suitably apertured plate or supporting member.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a lamp socket supporting fixture consisting of a single element having cooperating portions adapted to releasably mount the fixture on a suitably apertured supporting plate or member.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing, through the several views of which like reference characters designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a broken sectional view showing a lamp socket supporting fixture embodying the present invention mounted in an associated supporting plate and supporting an illustrative lamp socket and lamp;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lamp socket supporting fixture illustrated in Fig. 1, showing in broken lines an associated supporting plate;

struction illustrated in Fig. 2 taken along the lines 66 and l-| thereof respectively; and,

Fig. 8 is a broken elevational view showing an apertured supporting member adapted to receive and mount the applicants lamp socket supporting fixture.

Referring to the drawings, the applicants lamp socket supporting fixture, generally indicated at V I0, is adapted to be supported in a supporting plate or bracket l2 having an aperture including a circular portion l4 and a pair ofopposed notches l6 communicating with the circular portion 14 and extending radially outwardly thereof. The lamp socket supporting fixture in has a tubular portion I8 adapted to receive and support the inner end of a lamp socket member 2|]. It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention that the lamp socket member 26 may be of any suitable design and may be secured in the cylindrical portion I8 of the lamp socket supporting fixture It! in any suitable manner. For illustrative purposes, the lamp socket 29 is tubular and open at both ends, and is provided with J-slots 22 and 24 adapted to effect a bayonet and slot construction with the base of a lamp 26 having outwardly projecting trunnions 28. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the inner end portion of the lamp socket 2!] is telescopically received in and has a press fit with the cylindrical portion 48 of the lamp socket supporting fixture ill. At the end of the tubular portion l8 adjacent the inner end of the lamp socket 2c the fixture It has an integrally formed end wall 35] having an aperture 32 through which may extend a suitable electrical connector means 34. The end wall 30 is adapted to seat one end of a coil spring 36, the other end of which in accordance with conventional practice engages a plunger 38 carrying an electrical terminal 45 and slidable longitudinally of the lamp socket 20.

At the opposite end of the tubular portion [8, the lamp socket supporting fixture l0 terminates in an integrally formed radially outwardly extending flange generally indicated at 42. Adjacent the cylindrical portion l8 of the fixture ID, the flange 42 is shaped to define an annular axially offset portion 44. This offset portion 44 affords an axially outwardly projecting boss adapted to project into and fit the circular portion Id of the aperture in the supporting member l2 and cooperate with the supporting plate I2 to accurately locate the lamp socket supporting fixture it relative thereto. Radially outwardly of the axially offset portion t4 the flange 42 defines a generally annular axially outwardly presenting surface 46 adapted to engage one side of the supporting plate member 42 adjacent the aperture therein.

'The flange 42 is also provided with circumferentially spaced, generally radially extending slots 41 and intermediate said slots is shaped to define a pair of diametrically opposed fingers 48 extending radially outwardly from the axially offset portion 44 and offset axially outwardly relative to the surface 46. These fingers 48 have axially inwardly presenting surfaces 50 (best illustrated in Figs. 4, and 6) adapted to engage the opposite side of the supporting plate l2 as hereinafter more fully described.

The proportions of the fingers 48 are such that when the lamp socket supporting fixture H3 is placed against the plate member i2 with the fingers 48 aligned with the notches it, the annular portion 54 will project into the circular portion I4 of the aperture in the plate member i 2, the flange surface it will engage the adjacent surface of the plate l2, and the fingers 48 will be disposed in position for the surfaces 5l3'th'ereof to engage the remote side of the plate l2 upon rotation of the fixture relative. tothepl'ate member. To provide a resilient gripping of the .plate member i2 between the surfaces 46 on the flange 42 and the oppositely presenting surfaces St on the fingers 58, the normal axial spacing between these surfaces is preferably slightly less than.

the thickness of the plate member 12. Also, the lateral edges at opposite sides of the fingers 46 are preferably-outwardly turned as illustrated at 5.2 (see Figs. 4 and 6') to insure that the fingers 38 will be cammed up onto the plate member i2 upon rotation of the lamp socket supporting fixture iii relative to the plate member.

.In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the fiange 42 is shaped to provide a pair of. opposed detents 54 spaced circumferentially of the flange relative to the fingers 43 and adapted upon rotationof the fixture it relative to the plate member l2 during mounting of the former on the latter, to drop into the notch portions it of the aperture in the plate member and engage the adjacent edge portions of the plate member to yieldably prevent rotation of the fixture relative to the plate member.

It will now be appreciated that to mount the lamp socket supporting fixture i-il upon the plate member i2 it is only necessary to align the'fingers, $3 with the notch portion I6 of the aperture in the plate member, move the fixture through the aperture until the flange surfaces 4% engage the adjacent side of the plate, during which the fingers are inserted into and substantially through the notches l6, and then rotate the: fixture It relative to the plate member I2 until the detents 5d snap into thenotches it, it being appreciated that during such rotation the fingers it are cammed up onto the remote surrace of the plate i2 and the latter is resiliently gripped betweenthe surfaces 5%! on the fingers 38 and the oppositely presenting surfaces 46 on the flange 52. Similarly, to remove the fixture H) it is necessary only to apply a sufficient rotative force to the fixure it to cam the detents 54 out of the'notches 26 and rotate the fixture lli relative to the plate i2'until the fingers E8 arealigned with the-notches H5 at which time the fixture may be-readily withdrawn from the plate.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail it will .be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art .that various. modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present-invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A unitary lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be secured to a supporting element having an aperture including a circular portion and a notch portion extending radially outwardly of said circular portion, saidflxture comprising a tubular portion adapted to receive a :lampsocket member and terminating at one end an outwardly turnedfiange having an amine lar axially ofiset portion adjacent said tubular portion adapted to project into and substantially fit said circular portion of said aperture, said flange, outwardly of said annular portion, being shaped to define an axially presenting surface adapted to engage one side of said element and a radially extending finger having an axially spaced and oppositely presenting surface, said finger being adapted to be inserted through said notch portion of said aperture in one rotative position of said fixture relative to said element andsaid fixture'being adapted in another rotative' position of said fixture relative to said element to be held against axial movement by the engagement of said surfaces at opposite sides or said element, said flange, outwardly of said annular portion, having an axially ofiset portion angularly spaced from said finger and adapted in one rotative position of said fixture relative to said element, to project into said notch portion of said aperture to engage said element at opposite sides of said notch portion of said aperture to yieldably hold said fixture against rotation relative to said element, the radial distance to the outer limit of said last named axially offset portion being the same as that to the outer limit or" said finger.

2. .A unitary lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be secured to a supporting element having an aperture therein, including a circular portion and a notch portionv extending radially outwardly of said circular portion, said fixture having a tubular portion adapted to receive a lamp socket member and terminating at one end in=an integrally formed flange extending radially outwardly therefrom generally at right angles to said tubular portion, said flange including an annular radially inner flange portion extending radially outwardly from said tubular portion, a radially outer flange portion spaced axially of said tubular portion from said inner flange portion and extending radially outwardly from said inner fiange-portiomand an intermediateportion connecting said inner and outer portions and adapted to-closely fit saidcircular portion of said aperture to locate said fixture relative to said supporting element, said flange having a pair of closely spaced substantially parallel-slots extendinginwardlyfrom the periphery thereof, the portion of said flange intermediatevsaid slots'being spaced axially of said tubular portion relative to said outer flange portion and being adapted to copper-ate therewith to engage opposite surfaces of saidsupporting element.

3.. A unitary lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be secured to a supporting element having spaced parallel and-oppositely facing surfaces and an aperturemopening through said surfaces, said fixture being formed of a. single sheet metal stamping and having a tubular body portion adapted to receive a lamp socket and terminating at one end in an outwardly turned flange consisting of generally.- fiat radially inner and outer portions extending at :right angles to said tubular body portion and spaced axially of said body portion relativeto each. other and an intermediate portion interconnecting said radially inner andtouter portions and adapted to project into and substantially fit said aperture-said outer flange portionhaving a surfaceadaptedto engage one of said parallel suriaces and having a pair of :spaced and substantially parallel-slots extendinwardly from the periphery thereof, and the portion of saidouterifiange portion betweensaid slots :being spacedaxially of said tubular. body portion relative to said surface of said outer flange portion and constituting a finger having a surface adapted to engage the other of said parallel surfaces.

4. A unitary lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be secured to a supporting element having an aperture including a circular portion anda notch portion extending radially outwardly of said circular portion, said fixture being formed of a single sheet metal stamping and comprising a tubular portion adapted to receive a lamp socket member and terminating at one end in an outwardly turned flange having an annular axially offset portion adjacent said tubular portion adapted. to project into and substantially fit said circular portion of said aperture, said flange, outwardly of said annular portion, being shaped to define an axially presenting surface adapted to engage one surface of said element, said flange outwardly of said annular portion having a pair of spaced and substantially parallel slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, and the portion of said flange between said slots being spaced axially of said tubular portion relative to said axially presenting surface and constituting an integrally formed radially extending finger having an axially spaced and oppositely presenting surface relative to said axially presenting surface adapted to engage the opposite surface of said element.

5. A unitary lamp socket supporting fixture adapted to be secured to a supporting element having an aperture including a circular portion and a notch portion extending radially outwardly of said circular portion, said fixture being formed of a single sheet metal stamping and comprising a tubular portion adapted to receive a lamp socket member and terminating at one end in an outwardly turned flange having an annular axially offset portion adjacent said tubular portion adapted to project into and substantially fit said circular portion of said aper- 6 ture, said flange, outwardly of said annular portion, being shaped to define an axially presenting surface adapted to engage one surface of said element, said flange outwardly of said annular portion having a pair of spaced and substantially parallel slots extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, and the portion of said flange between said slots being spaced axially of said tubular portion relative to said axially presenting surface and constituting an integrally formed radially extending finger having an axially spaced and oppositely presenting surface, said finger extending substantially radially outwardly beyond said annular axially offset portion and having its opposite edge portions adjacent said slots deformed in a direction away from said axially presenting surface, said finger being adapted to be inserted through said notch portion of said aperture in one rotative position of said fixture relative to said element and said fixture being adapted in another rotative position of said fixture relative to said element to be held against axial movement by the engagement of said surfaces at opposite sides of said element.

GEORGE J. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,723,471 Dunham Aug. 6, 1929 1,819,125 Sadacca Aug. 18, 1931 2,012,979 Von Holtz Sept. 3, 1935 2,082,994 Wallbillich June 8, 1937 2,207,507 Douglas July 9, 1940 2,248,399 Watts July 8, 1941 2,272,688 Catron Feb. 10, 1942 2,278,385 Watts Mar. 31, 1942 2,296,717 Kridler Sept. 22, 1942 

